Farfel

Farfel in an aluminum tray

Farfel (Yiddish: פֿאַרפֿל, farfl; from Middle High German varveln) are small pellet-shaped pasta. Farfel is most prevalent in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. It consists of an egg noodle dough which may be cut or grated for use in soups, or served as a side dish. In the United States, it can also be found pre-packaged as egg barley.^[1]

Farfel is mainly used in soups or served as a side dish, usually as a kugel, or prepared as a pilaf. Particularly among Hassidic Jews, farfel is served as a side dish on the night of the Sabbath, in accordance with a custom instituted by the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism.

Matzo farfel

During the Jewish holiday of Passover, when dietary laws pertaining to grains are observed, Matzo Farfel takes the place of the egg noodle version. Matzo farfel is simply matzo broken into small pieces.

Farfel is not related to the similar-sounding falafel and farfalle.

Namesakes

Three television dogs have gone by the name of Farfel:

• The hound dog puppet used as Nestlé's mascot in its 1950s and 1960s commercials- famous for drawling "CHAW-W-W-CLATE!"- obtained its name directly from the food item.
• In the Seinfeld episode "The Dog," Jerry was forced to take care of a dog named Farfel after its owner suffered an attack of Bell's Palsy on an airplane.
• In episode 4 of The Howie Show, Howie helps train a dog named Farfel to fart on command.

Farfel also provided the name of the titular cat in Norman Geller's children's book "Farfel the Cat That Left Egypt." [1]

See also

• Ptitim (Israeli couscous)
• Tarhonya

External links

• The Cook's Thesaurus: Crumbs (8th photo)

References

1. ^ Nathan, Joan. Jewish Cooking in America, Knopf: New York. 1994 (Pp. 286-87)